Life is all about the little moments and the little things, I share mine here in my Castle of Dreams

Design

Eddie Ross… where to start?! The talented East Coast editor of Home and Gardens Magazine brightens any space he enters with his sweet personality, down to earth demeanor, boyish smile and tremendous talent. He can bring light and color in a masterful way to any room using things we own in combination with family treasures and some very affordable Salvation Army or Goodwill pieces. His spaces are definitely unique, bright and so darned positive that they can chase the blues away out of any heart in the world.

And now, with his new book, written in collaboration with his handsome partner Jaithan Kochar, he is on a mission to help us do just that on our own.

I find myself looking at old images of his work and realizing it has a certain timeless quality to it!

There was no chance in hell I wasn’t going to include next picture, a tablescape he did in collaboration with Bunny Williams for Christmas! People at this point might be sick of Christmas Decor, but this is so fresh and creative that nobody could tired of it, even after the holidays. What an honor to work with Ms. Williams, she is one of the best and most respected decorators in the world and a wonderful and down to earth person as well. I can only imagine how Eddie must have felt working with her, I would have cried. Yes, right there and then, burst into tears! Not just because of how talented she is but because she is a very real and classy lady who is unaffected and unimpressed with all the fluffies (is that even a word, or I just invented one?!) and pretentious stuff that comes often with the lifestyle of famous and top interior designers. I could spend hours and hours listening and talking to her, it must have been a rare and delicious treat! Nothing more on Bunny because of course, I’m going to have a post on her, and even if I try very hard, I won’t be able to begin to scratch the surface of her contribution to the world of design and her fabulous work. These posts are such a treat to me, to revisit the work of all those incredible people… Priceless.

What a joyful table…. I can’t stop staring. Tabletop fabric by Bunny Williams for Lee Jofa, the inspiration for the whole tablescape.

Eddie used his own antique English salad plates with Bunny’s Gold Star collection and his French Opaline Goblets. I love those who are not afraid of change and experimentation, opening new ways in any field and widening our horizons!

How gorgeous those salt cellars and shakers are as well as that pepper mill?! It is in the little details, I’m telling you… I always say the same thing! Well, not just me, everybody.

I believe this is from the book and makes me just so happy to look at it, you must order the book! After so many years of whites, browns and grays -which I ADORE- we really need help to bring color back into our lives and this book will do it. Imagine this: Bunny Williams did the foreword. It means the book is smashing beautiful and perfectly illustrated! Every review I read is calling it: The BEST. You can order it here: eddieross.com/modern-mix

This is my first time including links!!! hooray ! Go me! I hope they work because they make me feel so professional and stuff…. I apologize for any infringements with the authors of anything. If I need to remove something I sadly…not gladly… would do so! I know, but I’m not going to lie, I love everything here and don’t want to take anything away…

What a marvelous and happy combination! I hear Pharrel singing!

The colors and textures, the patterns and all the eclectic goodness going on here is such a treat, it has that collected through time look, that natural and effortless feel, so hard to obtain and it’s so unassuming that will make anybody want to stay forever…

I believe this is their guest room. I’m surprised of how restrained this room is in regards to color… that means they either compromised or Eddie can do neutrals with an accent color beautifully as well. Of course he can! I wouldn’t be surprised though if we find this room changed very soon, I can see orange curtains or at least the natural grasses roman shade painted orange or something like that!

I am not a fan of the tablecloth colors and pattern but I can still enjoy the whole thing, I think the brass candleholders are lovely, and I am in love with that mirror!

That shows everybody that even things we think we don’t like can look beautiful with the right combination of elements. Very english garden and Art Deco vibes at the same time! Eddie Ross can make anything work but it takes an immense amount of skills and talent to do it so perfectly, and of course great taste and instincts. I’m a big fan!

I absolutely adore this palette and the setting! Are those olive trees?!

Handsome treasure Hunter!

Eddie’s vintage brass cart turned into a bar “fabuloso”!!!

and a reminder that next on the list is Spring! How can one avoid to fall in love with color with such a display of happiness and effervescent spirit? Thank you Eddie Ross for taking the stiffness out of the Interior Design butt!

Eddie and his partner Jaithan Kochar. I think Eddie looks so much like Derek Hough, from “Dancing with the Stars” What do you think?!

Derek Hough…. WOW! right?!

Eddie Ross … they look like twins separated at birth!

And last but not least: Eddie and the fabulous and very smart Susanna Salk from quintessenceblog.com

What do you think? Are you loving all the color coming back in our lives? How do you feel about brass? Too much too soon or are you young enough that you never got sick of it?

Have a great rest of the week!

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All of us who are living in the Northern Hemisphere are starting to feel the winter blues… Yes, inevitably, when the Holiday’s lights start to disappear, those moody blues begin to show up! … And what is one to do when confronted with the harsh reality of a long winter ahead of you without any prospects of skiing in St. Moritz?!

Dream! All we have to do is dream of a world full of colour and light, full of energie and happy thoughts … and to help you do just that I am sharing these wonderful pictures of the work of two amazing designers, masters of colour and pattern, who are not afraid of mixing anything… and I mean: Anything!

Don’t judge, just enjoy, go with the flow, let yourself float and be invigorated, I won’t say anything because I can’t, design has that effect on me, makes me really, REALLY, emotional and sometimes it is hard to do anything else but soak it all in and wonder why Eddie Ross and I are not best friends yet. We should be, we have so much in common! I know if he knew me he would adore me … Ok, back to reality, here we go! -Today is Jonathan the one bringing the sunshine and tomorrow Eddie will be the chosen one!

Yes! -Traditional elements mixed with modern furniture from the Jonathan Adler’s collection, totally inspired by modern-mid century design and by the genius designers that created the best armchairs since the Klismos chair, all mixed together with my beloved dark, lacquered walls (well, these are not lacquered but they are paneled, so I love them so!) and those balloon things, so similar to Koons dogs. Jonathan is a gifted designer and an artist, he was a potter first before becoming an interior designer and now, apart from his furniture collection, he has a really cool accessory line made of brass, glass and lucite.

Modern Pottery. Jonathan Adler malachite vases, what a bright bunch!

We can’t deny how happy and fun this is and I love that they didn’t leave the ceiling unfinished … no idea what it is, could be tin, could be plaster, could be wood, I don’t know, but it sure is beautiful

I’ll try to keep the comments to a minimum from this point on so I can share more pictures… (but please notice those gorgeous, colorful books inside the heart of the chimney, coolness!)

So fresh and clean, still mid-century but with a contemporary air and refinement

How about that?! I love the J.A. Topanga sofa and I am finally coming to terms with the Brigitte chair. (I kind of love it. I don’t know, I need to see it in person to really know)… – It was hard for me at the beginning, when all the modern craziness started, to accept this trend. Having grown-up during the 70’s I got sick of seeing a lot of this period’s furniture and decor and not in it’s best versions, nothing to do with the refinement of what we see now! On the other hand, no pun intended, I adore the lucite giant hand.

Even the giant Sputnik chandelier has found a place in my heart. I also love all the movement and flow coming from the undulating brass base of the Scalinatella table, the Bacharach swivel chair, the sputnik chandelier, with its rays darting into space in every direction possible and the chevron pattern in the area rug…. and what about those gorgeous blue balloons that look like they are ready to fly?!

The brass bird bowls are so cute and would look amazing anywhere, from the mantel to the bookcase, on the coffee table or in a tablescape!

Now, I draw the line at those mongolian lamb benches! I always hated them and founded them ridiculous… but now I am so afraid one day I might find myself liking them! who knows.

Well, that is all for today, I think I will share Eddie Ross fabulous style tomorrow so he can have all the attention he deserves and because I am absolutely tired! One picture of Eddie’s awesomeness to enjoy next. Thank you for visiting, almost 21,000 hits or visits to my 40 posts!!!! Thanks again, I have no idea how that compares to anything or what that means but to me it’s a gianormous amount of visits and I am more than grateful.

The magnificent collaboration between the sweet and talented Eddie with the amazing Bunny Williams… I fell in love the moment I saw this!

So, what do you think? What do you feel about the Mid Century Modern revival we’ve been experiencing for a while? Do you like it or not?

M.T.

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As I share the last centerpieces and bouquets I made, I want to wish a Happy Independence day to my beloved country Peru and to all Peruvians wherever in the world this day might find us. I’m so glad the flowers are mostly red, one of the two colors of our red and white flag.

In honor of our independence day I had included a few pictures of one of the most iconic and beautiful buildings in my hometown, Trujillo, the Palacio de Iturregui, now and for as long as I can remember the home of the traditional Club Central, the finest example of Neo-Classical architecture we have in Trujillo and a place I hold very dear to my heart.

..Monique LhuillierBridesmaids BouquetGucciOld Hollywood Glamour with an unforgettable Oscar de la Renta!.Dany Tabet 2015Alexander McQueenWhite, gold and crystals by Karen Tran..Centerpieces.Zuhair MuradAlexander McQueen.Alexander McQueen, the only place I really enjoy his hunted genius without getting emotional, the window displays at Bergdorf Goodman.Alexander McQueen.Dolce and GabbanaArt DecoDrew BarrymoreSo delicate and elegant! I believe this one might be Karen Tran as wellAmazing photo!First patio at the entrance of Palacio de Iturregui, Club Central. Trujillo, Peru.roses and pearlsBouquet: The Enchanted Garden, Flowers and DesignGold and diamonds wedding shoes!Manolo BlanikFabulous!One small colourful bouquet for the bridesmaids

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I believe images are powerful and inspiring, if we stop limiting our perceptions to the obvious, a world of possibilities and wonder lays ahead of us. Happy dreaming or happy traveling of the mind and a great weekend everyone. Thank you for stopping by!

Emmanuelle Beart. So beautiful! That would make an amazing wedding dress, wouldn’t it?Gorgeous!Jewel tones are exquisite..Baccarat… a million crystals of inspiration!Hotel de CrillonHotel Crillon, Paris.Hotel de CrillonColin Cowie. Beyond talented!.. He is definetly one of the best!Cate Blanchett in Giorgio Armani, magnificent!All the right combinations..Rosie HuntingtonColin Cowie, The Bridal CircleSummer dream...Everything pretty is the rule!.Hotel de Crillon.Spectacular shoes!Have you ever seen something more adorable?Vintage feel with old framesCamilla Belle, Jezebel magazineParis in bloom. Cherry blossoms!Like Ice candy!When words are absolutely unnecessary and redundant..Infinite possibilitiesLebanese designer Elie Saab presents his Spring/Summer 2011 Haute Couture collection at theTheatre de Chaillot during the Paris Fashion Week, in Paris, France, 26 January 2011. Photo by Nicolas Gouhier/ABACAPRESS.COMEugenia Silva for Armani, found at ru_glamour.livejournal.comCimbrone Gardens, Ravello, Italy…Villa CimbroneGold and Black, perfect.Black and GoldJust what I needed!Carolina Herrera. Such a class act, such a talent..Pink Powder…Elie Saab, timeless..Beautiful brideColin Cowie weddingsValentina Zelyaeva, Ralph Lauren.Ralph … always and forever…La vie en Rose ..Crystal inspiration from Baccarat, it’s a symphony for the senses!Colin CowieLittle Flower girlColin Cowie, he is amazingBy Studio B Floral, Burnsville. Founded in mnbride.comAlberta Ferretti, Pre Fall 2015. What is this doing here? I love the anticipations for things to come… in every single way!How beautiful is that?!…Art…George V Hotel, Paris.Oscar de la Renta..Ralph…Ralph Lauren. Now you can pick your color palette and get inspired with the elements and colors of one single dress!

Once again, enjoy your weekend and make it count! Intensity can be experienced in many unexpected ways!

Bride’s Bouquet. I included some pictures taken with my very old iPhone 4s, so you can see the colors without filters or any professional techniques. Now that I finally upgraded to the iPhone 6 plus, I hope I’ll be able to take better quality pictures!The gorgeous couple..Pictures taken in the beautiful city of St. Augustine..Soft colors with a Great Gatsby flare…...I don’t remember who took this picture, too bad some candles were not lit yet..

///.,//

//I could cry looking at this picture!Mr. and Mrs. G ! Happiness...Finally!.,..‘///////.../Bridesmaid bouquet.What a beautiful couple, the way they stared at each other made me want to go back in time…

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Spring at homeIt’s been a few weeks since I’ve changed some things at home to make it feel more Spring like. I’m always happy to bring back any blue and white accents especially anything Chinoiserie. Such a classic that will never go out of style. I wasn’t going to share my spring “decor” because it is really very simple, nothing special, and that is kind of how I like it.

We are going through some changes at home and there is not time or special desire to decorate, but it is specially during trying times that we need the most that our homes cheer us up every time we are in there. My mother in law is 96 years old and has Alzheimer’s and Dementia. With the help of her medications she is doing remarkable well, especially now that she has moved home with us. We kept her at her home the longest time possible, first with some help and later on with permanent help.

One day we realized that we couldn’t postpone it any longer, she had to move to a home where she could be monitored at all times. It is heart wrenching to see all the people there that once had full lives and families and are now reduced to not only a room but to solitude and silence and in some cases total abandonment… My mother in law seemed to be the only one getting visits and when asked, the personnel confirmed that impression….no totally but in many cases that was the reality…. I won’t go any further with this subject, it’s not the purpose of this post and I don’t want to make anybody who is taking a break reading this, sad. This is temporal and she will have to return to a home but the time she is spending with us now has made her blossom. Her skin is rosier and she has no bed sores anymore…. Her appetite is excellent, like it was before and she is enjoying her home cooked meals with pleasure. The red puffiness around her eyes has gone down greatly and she seems more alert and happy.

It is not the fresh decor and colors what make home pretty and happy but the gorgeous light that comes through the windows, inundating the house with happiness and warmth. The fact that we can open windows and let fresh air in, is something we can’t buy with money! It’s a celebration of life! grass grows a fresh carpet everywhere and trees are dressed in bright, greens and dewy leaves, flowers grow everywhere at ease and days start earlier and last longer and longer everyday! -The best color palettes are found in nature, green covering everything against bright blue skies with some sprinkles of white…Perfection!

I’m learning to edit better with these dark pictures..

No, design or decor are not going to make home feel like HOME, but they sure help a lot! Bringing some nature inside, like flowers and flowering branches, changing accent pillows, perhaps slipcovering sofas in cotton or linen… Moving things around the house -like my bedroom lamps are now spending Spring in the living room- The right color palette and furniture placement can work wonders in our spaces. Furniture placement could be life altering, no kidding! and bring the biggest transformations in front of our eyes.

We spend time and money in coloring our hair every few weeks (well, not actually me…I’ve stopped and have been looking like hell for a while..I hope it pays off and I will look splendid in fifty shades of gray soon! 😉 ) -but neglect to invest in painting our rooms or even a single wall the right color, we run to the salon to have a well deserved pedicure and manicure and to the mall to get pretty sandals and outfits… but sometimes we forget to do the same for our homes. Maybe is doubt what stops us, not being able to make up our minds or maybe is that we are stuck in a route. We get help for the kids for math and music, why can’t we get help with decorating our homes? At the end it saves money and lots of time and frustration, and makes a huge difference in our everyday lives!

We are moving to Florida in a few months, to be closer to family. I’ll be traveling in a week there and will stay two months so I won’t be around much … Still, now it feels like Spring in the house and it make me smile every time I arrive home or just walk around! Winter is always too long.I think that Indian goddess is gesturing “call me” right?!!!light will always be a problem here…Battling with bad light for these pictures….

Yes she is.

India, China and Iran, living in perfect harmony, like in Michael Jackson’s and Paul McCartney’s song, Ebony and IvoryBlanc de ChineDancing Queen!.I bought that table in an auction, a long, long time ago, it was a farm kitchen table all full of dirt and oil marks…. we had somebody cut the legs and clean it up and has kept me company for a while…Better with a big tray?!..Some pieces I would love to own in a far away la la land! From First Dibs: Blanc de Chine, figure of Guanyin, Qing dynasty. $9,500. It seems to be the dollar sign but I’m a little afraid they meant Euros. Not that it would make any difference, of course!Large chinese blue and white porcelain bowl, qing dynasty, Kangxi period “Of octagonal panelled form, vividly painted in underglaze-blue with alternating figural and landscape scenes, including pine, prunus, chrysanthemum and carp, the interior with a central roundel enclosing a figure of a scholar within a further panelled border containing millet, prunus, bamboo, lotus, birds and insects” onlinegalleries.com Price: GBP 16,000.00 (Pound Sterling)Antique Japanese box in black lacquered wood. $4,800Cabinet in the Wardrobe in the State Apartments at Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire. The eighteenth-century black and gold japanned cabinet has open shelves to display porcelain, and is attributed to John Linnell. Founded in Theporcelainsleuth.com

Chinese export reverse blue and white baluster jar, $2,000I love this table I found SOLD already in an auction…. Carved Chinese coffee table, mahogany, handcrafted with mortise and tenon construction.Pair of Chinese turquoise glazed foo dogs on Ormolu mounts, 1stdibs, $7,517.47Ralph Lauren, I’ve been in love with this table for a few years! Cannes Gueridon Table and porcelain table lamp. The coffee cup and saucer and roses are beyond! just BEYOND!

And that’s it! I had fun “shopping” at 1stdibs! What an amazing place… and it was free. Like Coco Chanel said, “The best things in life are free, the second best are very, very expensive”!!! I agree. That’s why I always choose the best, it is free. Have a very good Friday and weekend and pay it forward. Always.